Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 133)

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Parts 1 to 132 were posted earlier. This is part 133. Your comments are welcome... Vivekananda Centre London

Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

By Sister Gayatriprana

part 133

iii) It Was Absolutely Necessary for Buddha to Emphasize Non-Violence and Faith in His Teachings

Even in the philosophical writings of the Buddhists or Jains, the help of the Shrutis are never rejected; and in at least some of the Buddhist schools and in the majority of the Jain writings, the authority of the Shrutis is fully admitted, excepting what they call the himsaka Shrutis [dealing with sacrifices involving violence to animals] which they hold to be interpolations of the brahmins.(56)

Buddhist ritual itself, [however], came from the Vedic.(57)

Buddha was the first man to stand against [purification of the mind through sacrifices and such other external means]. But the inner essence of the ideas remained as of old - look at that doctrine of mental exercises which he preached and that mandate of his to believe in the Suttas instead of the Vedas. Caste also remained as of old (caste was not wholly obsolete at the time of Buddha); but it was now determined by personal qualifications; and those that were not believers in his religion were declared heretics, all in the old style. Heretic was a very ancient word with the Buddhists, but then they never had recourse to the sword (good souls!), and had great toleration. Argument blew up the Vedas. But what is the proof of your religion? Well, put faith in it! - the same procedure as in all religions. It was, however, and imperative necessity of the times; and that was the reason of his having incarnated himself. His doctrine was like that of Kapila.(58)